Snow White (Disney Version)

Fresh off our trip to Disney World I pulled out these books of the Disney version of Snow White.  Gustaf Tenggren was an incredible artist who worked for Walt Disney in the 1930's.  His style was Arthur Rackham-ish and he illustrated a Swedish collection of children's tales in the footsteps of John Bauer.

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

retold by Cynthia Rylant 2009

pictures by Gustaf Tenggren

 Whether you are a Disney lover or not, the artistic quality of that first animated movie just can't be denied.  Here's a nice journey through how the movie was made in 1938.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the Making of the Classic Film

Richard Hollis and Brian Sibley 1994

Lingering on our shelves was this hardback Disney's Book Club edition.  I don't know why but the illustrator is not mentioned.  This is too bad because it's obviously the spectacular Sheilah Beckett.  Her pictures have a wonderfully distinctive style.  Our collection of her books is always growing.

Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

illustrated by Sheilah Beckett

Here's a couple shots of the Seven Dwarfs Mine ride at Disney World.  I was pretty enamored with the lanterns!

   

Sheilah Beckett's The Nutcracker

Just before Christmas (in what may become a yearly tradition), we went to see the Nutcracker Ballet performed.  In the beautiful Academy of Music we marveled at the architecture, the gilded decorations, the massive chandelier.  And as we sat up in the 3rd floor balcony, the music swelled and swirled around us.  Tchaikovsky's songs so familiar and yet still exciting and beautiful.  The dancers were wonderful and I worried needlessly about Charlotte's attention span- she was mesmerized.

Of course there are many versions of the Nutcracker story.  In this Little Golden Book one, Sheilah Beckett works her usual charm.

The Nutcracker

Rita Balducci 1991

Illustrated by Sheilah Beckett

Other books illustrated by Sheila Beckett:

The 12 Days of Christmas

The Christmas Story

Other books about The Nutcracker:

E.T.A. Hoffman The Nutcracker

The Christmas Story

The Christmas Story

illustrated by Sheilah Beckett

We still have our Christmas decorations up, so it's not too late to read anther Christmas book.  This one is a retelling of the Nativity story beautifully illustrated by Sheilah Beckett.  I can always spot her distinctive style when I'm digging through books at the thrift store and I snatch them up.  Here is a fascinating bio about her and her work:  http://femaleillustrators.blogspot.com/2010/05/sheilah-beckett-fairy-tale-career.html 

I'm also a fan of her Facebook page:  The Art of Sheilah Beckett

I would LOVE if there was a large coffee table book collection of her artwork (sort of like the Mary Blair one we have which Madeleine likes so much). 

 Other books illustrated by Sheila Beckett:

The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas a Christmas Carol

This is a Little Golden Book illustrated by Sheilah Beckett.  The costumes and the black-haired girl remind me of Olivia Hussey in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet.

The Twelve Days of Christmas A Christmas Carol

illustrated by Sheilah Beckett 1992